1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the oxychlorination of hydrocarbons in the presence of catalysts based on ternary molybdenum chalcogenides.
2. Description of the Prior Art
1,2-Dichloroethane (D12) is a compound that is produced industrially at a rate of several million ions per year; it is converted by pyrolysis into vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). VCM is polymerized into poly(vinyl chloride) (or PVC) which is widely in demand. The HCl produced by the pyrolysis is separated from the VCM and is then contacted with ethylene and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst to yield D12; this is the oxychlorination reaction. This reaction is very general and may be carried out using a wide variety of the hydrocarbons. Oxychlorination has been described in numerous patents, in particular in FR-2,063,365, FR-2,260,55, FR-2,242,143, FR-2,213,259 and FR-2,125,748. The catalyst typically is a copper salt deposited onto alumina powder.